SOME REACTIONS: From Trump, CONCACAF, USL, others to United Bid being awarded 2026 World Cup

Here are some reactions to the United Bid of Canada, Mexico and the United States being awarded the rights to host the 2026 World Cup.

The World Cup will return to North America for the first time since the U.S. hosted the event in 1994.

U.S. President Donald Trump (on Twitter)

“The U.S., together with Mexico and Canada, just got the World Cup. Congratulations – a great deal of hard work!”

CONCACAF

“We are very excited and humbled that the FIFA member associations have entrusted the CONCACAF region with the honor of hosting the 2026 FIFA World Cup in its new extended format.

“This is a monumental victory for the Concacaf family, as the United Bid exemplified the strong collaboration, beyond politics and business, that currently exists in our region.

“We would like to thank all the member associations who supported the United Bid, which can now test the effectiveness of a multi-nation hosting model for fulfilling the requirements of an expanded FIFA World Cup format, opening the doors for other nations in the future to come together to bid for this honor

“We would also like to congratulate the member associations of Canada, Mexico and the United States, as well as the United Bid team, for winning the bid for the CONCACAF region.

“Over the next eight years, CONCACAF and its member associations will continue to support our three host countries and FIFA as they prepare to host the world’s largest sporting competition, and welcome 48 teams alongside their millions of fans.

“We will all also work together to leverage this opportunity as a platform to accelerate the development of football in our own region, with the potential to bring positive social impact through football, as well as breaking records of attendance and revenue that will contribute to the sustainability of our game.”

USL CEO Alec Papadakis

“The FIFA membership made the absolute right choice in awarding the 2026 FIFA World Cup to the United Bid. We send our heartfelt congratulations to the heads of the U.S. Soccer Federation, Canadian Soccer Association and Federación Mexicana de Fútbol who led this process, and to the members and staff who worked tirelessly to achieve this goal for their countries. We look forward to welcoming the world eight years from now for what will be the biggest and best World Cup in the tournament’s storied history.”

USL president Jake Edwards

“The arrival of the FIFA World Cup to the United States in 1994 was a transformative moment which has taken the game to unprecedented heights in this region. We are still experiencing the fruits of that event throughout the many outstanding clubs and programs that now span all levels of the sport, especially here in the United States. Its return will once again be a catalyst – a significant growth driver across the region, from which future generations of players, coaches and fans will benefit for decades to come. The USL and its clubs are excited to play a part over the next eight years in preparation for what will be one of the most unforgettable events of this century.”

FOX Sports

“FOX Sports congratulates the United Bid Committee of the United States, Mexico and Canada on being awarded the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The 1994 World Cup in the U.S. helped catalyze the sport’s current domestic popularity, and FOX Sports has continued to proudly cover and support the game. As the official English-language broadcaster of the next three FIFA World Cups, we expect the 2026 tournament to represent another massive leap forward in North America. FOX Sports is excited to welcome our partners at FIFA and others around the world to our backyard for this unrivaled sporting event. We would also like to congratulate Morocco on a very competitive bid process, and wish its national team the best of luck in the 2018 FIFA World Cup.”

About The Author

Front Row Soccer editor Michael Lewis has covered eight World Cups, seven Olympics and all 21 MLS Cups. He writes about New York City FC, New York Cosmos and the U.S. national team for Newsday and pens a soccer history column for the Guardian.com. Lewis, who has been honored by the Press Club of Long Island and National Soccer Coaches Association of America, is the former editor of BigAppleSoccer.com. He has written seven books about the beautiful game and has two more in the works, including one about the Rochester Lancers.